A cost-benefit analysis of hedgerow intercropping in the Philippine uplands using the SCUAF model

Abstract

Soil erosion in the Philippine uplands is severe. Hedgerow intercropping is widely advocated as an effective means of controlling soil erosion from annual cropping systems in the uplands. However, few farmers adopt hedgerow intercropping even in areas where it has been vigorously promoted. This may be because farmers find hedgerow intercropping to be uneconomic compared to traditional methods of farming. This paper reports a cost-benefit analysis comparing the economic returns from traditional maize farming with those from hedgerow intercropping in an upland community with no past adoption of hedgerows. A simple erosion/productivity model, Soil Changes Under Agroforestry (SCUAF), is used to predict maize yields over 25 years. Economic data were collected through key informant surveys with experienced maize farmers in an upland community. Traditional methods of open-field farming of maize are economically attractive to farmers in the Philippine uplands. In the short term, establishment costs are a major disincentive to the adoption of hedgerow intercropping. In the long term, higher economic returns from hedgerow intercropping compared to open-field farming are realised, but these lie beyond farmers' limited planning horizons.

Modeling the impacts of agroforestry systems on the spatial patterns of soil erosion risk in three catchments of Claveria, the Philippines

“…On the other hand, land cultivated to agroforestry provides protection against soil loss due to better vegetation cover. Soil erosion measured in the Philippines under contour hedgerow intercropping of Desmanthus virgatus, a forage legume, and corn showed a better annual average value of 6.4 tons ha -1 year -1 compared to continuous open-field corn farming which lead to a loss of 106 tons ha -1 year -1 of soil (Nelson et al 1997).…”

Kinerja dan Perspektif Usahatani Konservasi Alley Cropping di Indonesia

“…Hasil penelitian yang dilakukan di Filipina menunjukkan alley cropping (hedgerow intercropping) dapat membantu pertumbuhan tanaman jagung melalui penwunan tingkat erosi tanah dan penambahan nitrogen. Tetapi keuntungan teknologi tersebut tidak dapat dirasakan dengan segera oleh petani sebagai kompensasi biaya dan tenaga kerja yang telah dikeluarkan, sehingga secara ekonomi teknologi alley cropping kurang menarik dibandingkan dengan metode tradisional yang sebelumnya ada (Nelson, et al, 1996). Namun beberapa hasil penelitian yang telah dilakukan di Indonesia menunjukkan bahwa efek kesuburan tanah yang ditimbulkan oleh teknologi tersebut secara nyata meningkatkan produksi tanaman, yang pada akhirnya mampu meningkatkan pendapatan mereka.…”

A bioeconomic analysis of carbon sequestration in farm forestry: a simulation study of Gliricidia sepium

“…WaNuLCAS was calibrated based on many of the parameters and assumptions used in the fallow and hedgerow-intercropping systems presented by Grist et al (1999b), Nelson et al (1998), andHairiah et al (2000b). In this simulation a planting density of 10,000 cuttings per hectare was used, fertiliser (urea) was applied at a rate of 60 kg ha À1 yr À1 for the first 4 years, and pruning was carried out frequently (to maximize nutrient recycling).…”

“…However, the availability of OM such as manure or plant residues is limited, while fertiliser use by small-scale subsistence farmers is often constrained by limited capital and access to credit (Fagi 1992). One approach of overcoming these impediments and preventing such land degradation is to adopt integrated farming systems where deep-rooted, leguminous trees and/or crops are planted sequentially or simultaneously with food crops (Kang et al 1989;Young 1997;Nelson et al 1998;Hairiah et al 2000b;Whitmore et al 2000). These plants act as improved fallows and accelerate soil-fertility recovery by decreasing erosion and leaching rates and recycling nutrients.…”